Free Realms hits 10 million users, gives out “cash” prizes

Just short of its first birthday, free-to-play MMO Free Realmsreaches 10 million players. In celebration, Sony Online Entertainment has doubled the value of Station Cash cards for the weekend.

Packed with mini-games and purchasable in-game items, Free Realms runs on its own currency called “Station Cash,” bought with real money. To celebrate the 10 million marker, SOE will be doubling any Station Cash card values redeemed between 4pm today PST and 11pm Sunday. For instance, if you have a $10 Station Cash card, you can turn it in this weekend to get 20 in-game bucks in return.

SOE President John Smedley said:

Reaching 10 million registered players on the eve of Free Realms’ first birthday is an incredibly exciting event for SOE and our passionate online community. Millions of gamers have confirmed that the genre we pioneered over 11 years ago with the original EverQuest continues to evolve and expand to include new styles of gameplay that reach a wider audience than ever before.

Geek.com reported that Free Realms hit 9 million users just last month. The month before that, the MMO boasted 8 million users. Even though the membership rate is picking up speed, the climb will have to plateau sooner or later. Sony has not announced how many of those users are active players nor how many of those members actually purchase in-game items.